Birmingham-based Bronze Valley & gener8tor launch national accelerator for diverse-founded startups

Reading time: 3 minutes

Bronze Valley
(gener8tor)

Global startup accelerator gener8tor is partnering with Birmingham-based Bronze Valley—an early-stage venture fund—to launch the inaugural Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator cohort this January. 

The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator is an offering of the Bronze Valley VentureLab, which focuses on serving founders from backgrounds that historically have been excluded from access to capital. 

Supporting Underrepresented Founders

Bronze Valley
(gener8tor/Bronze Valley)

Over the last two years, the Bronze Valley Accelerator has supported 20 companies across four cohorts that collectively have raised over $8 million in venture capital after completing the program. 

The two organizations now further their partnership by offering the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator, an investment-for-equity accelerator focused on investing in and supporting underrepresented founders.

5 Companies Selected

The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator recruited startups nationally for the inaugural cohort, receiving more than 800 applications. 

Five companies were selected:

“The partnership between Bronze Valley and gener8tor continues to contribute tremendously to innovation and the growth of new business and economic opportunity in Birmingham and beyond,” said Neill S. Wright, President and CEO of Bronze Valley. “Expanding this critical partnership through the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator and VentureLab will increase our impact as we continue to support entrepreneurs and help define the future of business growth in our region and across the country.”

Additional Statewide Support

Birmingham
(gener8tor/Bronze Valley)

The Bronze Valley VentureLab is supported by the Alabama Department of Commerce, Bronze Valley, Alabama Power, Regions and Spire

The VentureLab provides advisory services and intensive programming to people of color, female and other underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Services include:

  • Creation of  pathways for companies through ideation, investment, and scale through HBCU accelerator programs
  • One-on-one advising and support
  • Six-month accelerator programming that includes the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator’s intensive three-month program

The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator is held once per year with five companies accepted to ensure a high level of individualized attention.

“We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Bronze Valley to amplify the impact the Bronze Valley VentureLab has had among companies with diverse founding teams,” said Haley Medved Kendrick, gener8tor Investment Accelerator senior managing director.

Pitch to Investors April 27

At the end of the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator, startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a showcase event April 27th at 5:30 p.m. at Lumi, which is located at 2201 2nd Ave S Suite 202 in Birmingham.

Interested?


Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator and resources or applying to a future program are encouraged to visit gener8tor.com/bronze-valley-venture-lab.

For the latest, buzziest news, sign up for our FREE newsletter and follow us on Instagram + Facebook.

Ad

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

Articles: 2653